I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching over here when it comes to my biz. Never in a gazillion light years would I have thought that starting this blog in 2005 would have led to such life changing experiences for me, including finding my way into a creative life and career. I like to think that my story is not exceptional and not unlike so many of us who simply follow the call of their hearts, trusting that the path, despite the debris fields of gremlins (Who do you think you are? You’re not allowed to want what you want. Etc, etc), will never fail us. Sure, there will be lots of “fails” when it comes to how to do certain tasks, but not in the bigger sense of perspective, not when it comes to shaping who we are, what we’re here to do, and why we’re here to do it. I believe in trusting the calls, the whispers, what delights us, and what is nudging at us for more attention. I believe, ultimately, nothing fails.
But lately, as I’ve written about recently, I can sense that I am evolving in big ways, and thus my business/brand is evolving, too. I believe our business are living breathing entities. I believe that our souls – the essence of who we are – are what make each of us extraordinary and I believe, if nurtured and aligned with who we are, our businesses can be extraordinary, too. But just as we change alignment, and especially if we ARE the business/brand, it’s only natural for our brands to evolve, too.
It’s not been easy, navigating this evolution, and it has often felt like like a weird void of frustration, but after months of re-envisioning, daydreaming, and lots of soulful strategizing conversation, I can begin to see a clearer direction coming into focus when it comes to my offerings in art & licensing world, and most especially when it comes to my stepping into all the ways I want to teach. I am beyond excited for what’s to come, and often find myself inside long moments when I can feel what the future holds bubbling up inside of me. Best feeling ever.
A big exciting part of this particular transition for me and my biz is having an opportunity to grow my team here in Portland. Friends, meet Nichole. She’s my new Community Care & Engagement Manager. Isn’t she adorbs? She’s been in her new role for about 5 weeks now, and I can sense that this is going to be a fantastic partnership. She is super smart, funny (like, LOL funny), talented, and has a wonderful way of elevating the thoughtfulness around all that we’re building. And she’s already been deeply touched and inspired by my online community – you guys are so welcoming! You can learn more about Nichole over here on her
music site (Hello, gorgeous music. I am a fan.) as well as on her
podcast site (Hello, brave honest heart.).
The other day Nichole and I went to see a potential new studio/office space (I think we might take it!). Because the space is still being renovated, we had to wear safety gear, and we geeked out for a fun photo op. Anyway, you can’t see them in this photo, but Nichole is wearing overalls. I couldn’t resist!
Within minutes of seeing her in overalls, I ordered a pair, too. For a girl who wore overalls non-stop in the 90’s, I cannot tell you how happy this purchase made me. Who knew overalls are back? Even better? They’re from Amazon!
So there you have it. Nichole is awesome. And if I hadn’t known it already, I would have certainly figured it out the second she came to work in overalls.
XO
PS:
It’s hard to be believe it all starts again in three weeks. I had the time of my life creating this ecourse and I’m eager to share it with another tribe of students. The other day one of my previous students left a message for future students on my FB page. I thought it was pretty adorbs. She said “Your new students have no idea what is about to happen in their lives. Great decision people, you will love every minute of Kelly’s class and treasure your time learning and sharing with your classmates. Best decision I ever made. Have fun, everyone!” Thank you, Jeanie Martin. You captured the anticipation and enthusiasm exactly. Friends, come join me for round 2 of this class! I’d love to get to know you and watch you surprise yourself as you unleash your joy!
Lol these posts on everybody wearing loose overalls is awesome, mainly because I thought that I was the only one who still preferred the 90s style. Todays are really too tight. Mine have a super long inseam also, so I also keep walking on the back of my hems, but I can’t help it. The legs are too wide for me to roll them up, they immediately unroll on me when I take a few steps. Only issue I have is my straps, they are CONSTANTLY sliding off of my shoulders so I’m always sliding them back up, and also hitching up my pant legs when it’s wet out
I know me too! I fixed that my sitting water on the slider on the strap. It tends to keep that in place. As for the straps slipping off your shoulders, not much can be done. Whenever I’m working they will always slide down one arm. My hubby said it looks hot like that (lol!) but my overalls are also super large and baggy on me also. What is it with overalls that always have the backs of the legs all tattered from dragging so much on the ground! My hubby teases me also about the way I walk in my overalls. He says I look like teenage version of myself trying on my older and taller sisters clothes. Because they’re so freaking loose, and really, really long on me, about 4 or 5 inches of my pant legs drag on the ground under my feet. The denim, as it scrapes the ground, makes that “pffft pffft pfft” sound. My hubby wears a pair sometimes, his also are so HUGE. They’re so loose and thin, that it’s an embarrassment risk for him if I get if turned on in public! 😲🤣👍
Yes! I’m not alone! My overalls are also really baggy on me, I’m always catching guys trying to peek down the sides when I’m walking. It looks like I’m almost shuffling along though, my overalls are so long that they cover my entire foot, so my pant legs are also frayed and tattered, I’m always tripping over them. I feel like an akward teenage girl who’s borrowing her older sisters overalls while waiting for a growth spurt whenever I wear them. My boyfriend says that I couldn’t be a spy because he can hear me coming due to my hems constantly scuffing on the ground. Maybe soon they will just get worn and frayed enough that they won’t drag anymore
Plus my jeans are like that also, they’re wide leg or flared, so they too are getting walked on and frayed
I just ordered a pair of 90s style, wicked baggy overalls on eBay, and they arrived this morning. Wow, I totally forgot how awesome overalls are, I actually had this same style from Old Navy in college. I’m normally between a M and L, but the only size available was XL. THEY ARE SO COMFORTABLE! Because they’re so big on me, I have about 5″ if excess denim in the waist on either side, and just like you Ally I am walking on my hems also as they drag on the ground. I can’t help it either, the hems are going to get totally tattered and dirty, but I don’t care, I’ll just be happy in my baggy overall?
They really are the best!
I STILL wear the same pair I had in high school, from Old Navy. Their so sooo big on me but sooo comfy!
OMG I LUV overalls! I STILL wear the same baggy, oversized, too-long in the legs pair from old navy that I wore in college. But, there SOOOO freaking big on me! I originally bought them cause my then boyfriend had a “thing” for girls in overalls, but I admit that now I’m the one with the “thing” for them. The hems are so so frayed and shredded from them dragging on the ground under my feet. Whenever I roll them up, they completely unroll a min later so I gave up on trying to keep the hems up. When I wear flip flops my whole foot is encased in baggy denim!
My overalls are so baggy and oversized that I’m always self conscious that someone can see down the sides of my overalls at my hips. I have wide, “child-bearing” hips as we used to say, so as my overalls hang loosly off of my shoulders, my hips tend to make the sides of my overalls flare outwards, hence the wide gap around my tummy. One time I wore them commando, forgetting that my lady-bits could be on display to someone standing next to me. And the legs are wide enough down and at the bottom hems that they puddle on the ground around my sneakers, totally covering them up, which causes me to trip sometimes over my pant legs dragging on the ground. But they are THE most comfortable (and sexy according to my BF) thing I’ve ever worn!
What is it with everyone’s overalls being so long on them? I thought that I was the only one who had to deal with dragging pant legs! Normally I would wear a medium, or even a large, but I like my overalls to be extra loose. I’m a 31″ waist but my overalls have a 48″ waist, and is 50″ across the hips(!). I used to wear super baggy overalls in high school, along with wide leg and flared jeans. That’s how I met my husband, when we both were in high school together. He said it was the overalls that won him over! Those also were always really long on me, but that was the style!